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Topic Review (Newest First)

01-09-2013 06:35 PM

lddavis

Quote:

Originally Posted by Just Tom

Funny that you'd mention the fabric.

Yeah -- normally it's not the sort of thing that I'd zero in on. I didn't really care, for instance, that the Elantra has more hard plastic than the Focus. But this stuff was bad enough to stand out.

It's not ugly. In my car, it was all black, and the coarse weave gives it some visual texture that's more interesting than if it were smooth. But it's not pleasant to touch. Also, I suspect that coarse weave would make it more attractive to dirt and hard to clean.

01-08-2013 09:03 PM

Arco-Zakus

Quote:

Originally Posted by e30og

... Be a man and get the manual Focus. No transmission problems.

Thanks for the advice. I've been buying cars with manual transmissions only for >40 years, and was leaning in that direction already. (Other things in my life have done more to make me confident in my manhood, btw, even if I had preferred automatics instead. ;) The thing is, this time I'd like my next car to be one my wife doesn't mind driving and she does not enjoy driving a manual, so this could be a tough compromise. (She'd probably be happy with a Corolla as a second car, except for it being underpowered.) Besides, I think you probably bought the only '13 Focus sedan in the country with a manual trans. All the manuals I've seen while searching dealer inventory are hatchbacks.

Even if Ford gets the DCT's software perfect and makes its hardware bulletproof it will never behave like an automatic with a torque converter, so she might do better driving a "real" manual (she first learned to drive in one) than the DCT. No need to adjust to the DCT's unique "characteristics" like so many drivers seem to have a problem doing if you're the one working the clutch yourself. If Ford just gave buyers the option of getting a conventional automatic (a la Mazda3, Civic, Corolla, ...) this would be so much easier. (Probably driven by CAFE standards to eke out every possible mpg improvement in their bigger selling models.)

Unfortunately, as you noted, the DCT isn't the only problem early 3rd gen Focus owners have experienced that is delaying my decision to buy. Probably most of the people who bought all those Civics and Corollas didn't have the lattitude I do in waiting to buy something, so they passed on the Focus. That, or fun-to-drive isn't as high on their list as it is on mine. But then, how much fun can you have driving back and forth to the dealer to try to get them to fix noisey suspension, power steering failures, etc.? Or, stuck in the middle of DC with your GPS going all mayhem on you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h0Qvc6_MfQ (EDIT: I am not endorsing the company nor products promoted by this video, just the humor. At least I thought it was funny. Someone who has had similar problems may not.)

It looked like Ford had been doing so well with the Fusion's reliability for the past few years, I hope they get it right with the Focus soon.

01-08-2013 08:51 PM

Just Tom

Quote:

Originally Posted by lddavis

I can see your point. The Focus (especially the ST) is a bit brash. But then, I still find that kind of appealing in a way.

It's probably unfair to compare crappy rental models, so not much to say about the interior features. The one thing I have to slam is the terrible fabric they used on the dash and seats. It's this scratchy woven polyester horror, as though the car was made from leftover 1970s polo shirts from Sears.

But the Cruze drove ok. There's a dead spot in the center of the steering, probably so it doesn't seem twitchy on the highway. So less responsive than the Focus, and less quick of a turn-in. A bit underpowered, but that's common to most of the base models in the class.

I found the door oddly constricting, having to fold into the seat in a way I didn't with the Elantra or the Focus.

I would have likely preferred the Elantra, but there was just something... wrong with the suspension. There were times when a sideways force (bump while steering, wind gust) on the highway resulted in a a little lurch to the side. Disturbing. It didn't even happen all the time, so I couldn't get used to it. Only when conditions were just right (or wrong).

Funny that you'd mention the fabric. One car reviewer referred to it as leftover speaker covering. Sounds tacky to me.

01-08-2013 06:55 PM

lddavis

[QUOTE=Just Tom;4530989I haven't driven the Cruze[/QUOTE]I can see your point. The Focus (especially the ST) is a bit brash. But then, I still find that kind of appealing in a way.

It's probably unfair to compare crappy rental models, so not much to say about the interior features. The one thing I have to slam is the terrible fabric they used on the dash and seats. It's this scratchy woven polyester horror, as though the car was made from leftover 1970s polo shirts from Sears.

But the Cruze drove ok. There's a dead spot in the center of the steering, probably so it doesn't seem twitchy on the highway. So less responsive than the Focus, and less quick of a turn-in. A bit underpowered, but that's common to most of the base models in the class.

I found the door oddly constricting, having to fold into the seat in a way I didn't with the Elantra or the Focus.

I would have likely preferred the Elantra, but there was just something... wrong with the suspension. There were times when a sideways force (bump while steering, wind gust) on the highway resulted in a a little lurch to the side. Disturbing. It didn't even happen all the time, so I couldn't get used to it. Only when conditions were just right (or wrong).

01-08-2013 05:56 PM

Arco-Zakus

Quote:

Originally Posted by VectorZ

Sure a little, but I can do without this: (couldn't embed for some reason)

If I had not made up my mind long ago to not buy a GM product for political reasons (the bailout), this would sway my decision. I prefer to wash my cars myself. I also prefer any excitement be from driving, not escaping from, the car.

01-08-2013 03:30 PM

Just Tom

Quote:

Originally Posted by lddavis

Do the numbers include rental fleet sales?

I happened to get a Cruze (as well as an Elantra) during my holiday travels. Both of them reassured me of my choice of the Focus. I did see a number of other Cruzes on the rental lot, but didn't spot a Focus. (A few years back, I did get a Focus from the same agency.)

I have no idea where those sale figures came from, but it would seem logical to me that since we're talking unit sales, the numbers shouldn't exclude one type of sales channel versus another. Then again, that's my logic...for what that's worth.

I haven't driven the Cruze and to be real honest, it was never even a consideration when I bought my Focus in late November. The only serious considerations were the Jetta TDI, Mazda3 with Skyactiv, Buick Verano and Nissan Altima. Even though all these cars are roughly in the same class/pricing category, to me the Cruze just doesn't seem to measure up. From appearances alone, the Cruze didn't even strike me as a car worth considering. I realize of course this is a personal thing and for some, the Focus may appear to be too boy racer...wanna be WRC....whatever. However if I had to choose a word to describe the Cruze it would be: Bland.

01-08-2013 02:40 PM

lddavis

Do the numbers include rental fleet sales?

I happened to get a Cruze (as well as an Elantra) during my holiday travels. Both of them reassured me of my choice of the Focus. I did see a number of other Cruzes on the rental lot, but didn't spot a Focus. (A few years back, I did get a Focus from the same agency.)

01-08-2013 12:03 PM

Just Tom

The Cruze is a relatively new player to the game, compared to the other models like the Civic the Focus, etc. Those models have endured for decades, it will be very interesting to see how long the Cruze lasts as a model. The car it replaced, the Cobalt, didn't even last very long. Month to month the Cruze may periodically edge out the Focus, but how long it does in the long term....like the Civic, that's the real test.

01-08-2013 11:38 AM

RonMaiden

I think he was stating "blowing up" figuratively and the DCT has been a black eye for Ford.

01-08-2013 11:31 AM

pozi240

Quote:

Originally Posted by kam327

Mostly agreed. However I don't think all cases of slippage, chatter, shuddering etc. are due to leaky seals. I had slippage and shudder, the latter of which came and went a couple times, and I was told I did not have leaky seals. I think the software itself 'learns' itself into a box in some cases and an update (e.g. 132B37) or just some hard driving fixes most of those cases.

Good catch Kam!, I forgot about a lot of those cases where doing the "hard reset" with the battery or doing the series of hard launches to seem to "reboot" the fuzzy logic of the TCU.

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